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By Vincent Kalu
The Senate through its committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, has threatened to issue a warrant of arrest to compel the Managing Director of Halkin, Charles Dorgu to appear before it over a petition against his firm by Hardy Oil Nigeria Ltd.
Hardy Oil had in a petition filed against Halkin to the Senate, alleged that Atala Marginal Field (OML 46) hitherto owned by it, was fraudulently sold to Halkin by the now scrapped Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). The Senate had on the strength of the petition, mandated its committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, to investigate the allegation. The two oil firms at the beginning of the investigative hearing by the Committee in October, appeared through their representatives, but Halkin in a surprise move, slammed the committee with a N10 billion suit for discontinuance of the session.
Informing the committee of Halkin’s litigation during Tuesday session, the Committee Chairman, Ayo Akinyelure, said a lawyer, M.A Mahmud SAN, had written the committee that his client, Halkin Exploration and Production Ltd, had gone to court over oil well dispute.
“The SAN in the letter informed us that the Senate had been sued with the sum of N10billion and that all issues relating to the oil well, are to be handled by the court of law.
“This to us is unacceptable because none of the disputing parties was in court before petition was received by us upon which investigation commenced with attendance of the two parties. “More disturbing is the fact that before the litigation, Halkin in a letter dated 12th October, 2021 and signed by its Managing Director, Mr. Charles Dorgu, promised to appear before the committee today with relevant documentation on acquisition of the oil well from DPR now Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NURC). “Mr. Charles Dorgu must appear at our next sitting failure of which a warrant of arrest would be issued on him because nobody can stop the Senate from carrying out investigation brought before it as empowered by section 88 of the 1999 Constitution.
“The Clerk of this committee will write the Halkin MD, Mr. Charles Dorgu for a rescheduled appearance, which must be honoured,” Sen. Akinyelure said.
